Hunger and the Obesity Epidemic: Old Insights Reaffirmed by New Medicines?
Authors: Rory Taylor
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2023)

Ideas and OpinionsJuly 2023Hunger and the Obesity Epidemic: Old Insights Reaffirmed by New Medicines?Rory Taylor, MBChBRory Taylor, MBChBCPS Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom (R.T.).Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/M23-0744 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail As the names of prescription medications like Ozempic (semaglutide), Wegovy (semaglutide), and Mounjaro (tirzepatide) drift into mainstream culture and the general lexicon, it seems that a "weight loss pill" could become a reality. Conversations around these medicines in popular culture, including celebrity endorsement, discuss their appetite-suppressing properties as an aid to weight loss and appear to complement our current understanding of the neurobiology of obesity.The vital role of the brain in regulating hunger and body weight has long been recognized. As early as the 1950s, it was observed in rodent models that damage to the ventromedial hypothalamus provoked hyperphagia ...References1. Timper K, Brüning JC. Hypothalamic circuits regulating appetite and energy homeostasis: pathways to obesity. Dis Model Mech. 2017;10:679-689. [PMID: 28592656] doi:10.1242/dmm.026609 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Bouchard C. Genetics of obesity: what we have learned over decades of research. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2021;29:802-820. [PMID: 33899337] doi:10.1002/oby.23116 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Llewellyn C, Wardle J. Behavioral susceptibility to obesity: gene-environment interplay in the development of weight. Physiol Behav. 2015;152:494-501. [PMID: 26166156] doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.07.006 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Subramaniapillai M, McIntyre RS. A review of the neurobiology of obesity and the available pharmacotherapies. CNS Spectr. 2017;22:29-38. [PMID: 29350126] doi:10.1017/S1092852917000839 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Al-Najim W, Docherty NG, le Roux CW. Food intake and eating behavior after bariatric surgery. Physiol Rev. 2018;98:1113-1141. [PMID: 29717927] doi:10.1152/physrev.00021.2017 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. Ribeiro G, Camacho M, Santos O, et al. Association between hedonic hunger and body-mass index versus obesity status. Sci Rep. 2018;8:5857. [PMID: 29643337] doi:10.1038/s41598-018-23988-x CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. Knudsen LB, Lau J. The discovery and development of liraglutide and semaglutide. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2019;10:155. [PMID: 31031702] doi:10.3389/fendo.2019.00155 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. Hall KD, Kahan S. Maintenance of lost weight and long-term management of obesity. Med Clin North Am. 2018;102:183-197. [PMID: 29156185] doi:10.1016/j.mcna.2017.08.012 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar9. Chakhtoura M, Haber R, Ghezzawi M, et al. Pharmacotherapy of obesity: an update on the available medications and drugs under investigation. EClinicalMedicine. 2023;58:101882. [PMID: 36992862] doi:10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.101882 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar10. Wilding JPH, Batterham RL, Davies M, et al; STEP 1 Study Group. Weight regain and cardiometabolic effects after withdrawal of semaglutide: the STEP 1 trial extension. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2022;24:1553-1564. [PMID: 35441470] doi:10.1111/dom.14725 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Rory Taylor, MBChBAffiliations: CPS Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom (R.T.).Disclosures: The author has reported no disclosures of interest. The form can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M23-0744.Corresponding Author: Rory Taylor, MBChB, CPS Research, McCafferty House, 99 Firhill Road, Glasgow G20 7BE, United Kingdom; e-mail, rory.taylor@cpsresearch.co.uk.Author Contributions: Conception and design: R. Taylor.Analysis and interpretation of the data: R. Taylor.Drafting of the article: R. Taylor.Critical revision for important intellectual content: R. Taylor.Final approval of the article: R. Taylor.Administrative, technical, or logistic support: R. Taylor.Collection and assembly of data: R. Taylor.This article was published at Annals.org on 27 June 2023. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Current IssueJuly 2023Volume 176, Issue 7Page: 995-996KeywordsBioenergeticsDrugsFoodHypothalamusLeptinNauseaNeuronsObesityTwinsWeight loss ePublished: 27 June 2023 Issue Published: July 2023 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2023 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...